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Objective

The Slamdance Screenplay Competition is dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging writing talent. We welcome screenplays in every genre, on any topic, from anywhere in the world. A unique feature of the competition is providing constructive feedback for every entrant. In addition to this, we also offer a more intensive coverage service for a supplementary fee. Now in our 23rd year, we have a history of highlighting talented, independent screenwriters and introducing them to the entertainment industry. All of our readers approach scripts differently, but in general we are looking for originality and promise in a work. As an organization, we strive to foster an independent spirit among new writers and our filmmaking community. The Slamdance Screenplay Competition has consistently linked finalists work to management representation, option and production agreements. We've established a strong track record through our competition successes and are committed to championing outstanding new work.

Our competition consists of four categories. Awards are given to the top three scripts in each category. In addition to that, Slamdance will present the Grand Prize for the best screenplay, regardless of category.

Short

Original Teleplay

Feature

Horror

Deadline/Entry Fees

Expired. Previous Deadline: 07/27/2018

Notification: September 17th, 2018 - Announce Quarter-Finalists - in no particular order
September 24th, 2018 - Announce Semi-Finalists - In no particular order
October 1st, 2018 - Announce Top 12 scripts - In no particular order
October 11th, 2018 - WGAW Party for Finalists - Announce Winners

Rules

Rules:

Screenplays must not have been previously optioned, purchased or produced.

Screenplays must not have received awards from other competitions over $500.00 at the time of entry.

Screenwriters who have had previous feature screenplays produced and distributed by non-independent means are ineligible.

Screenplays must be in English, formatted in 12-point courier font.

Don't cheat in an effort to keep the page count to 120 or less. We will notice and ask that the extra fee be paid for screenplays in excess of 120 pages. As a standard rule, 1.5" left, 1" right and 1" top and bottom is a good one.

To enter the Slamdance Screenplay Competition you must agree to its Terms and Conditions.

The Slamdance Screenplay Competition Readers' decisions are final.

Teleplays must not have been previously optioned, purchased or produced.

Slamdance is not responsible for screenplays or coverage stolen or lost in transit

For screenplays longer than 120 pages, fifteen dollars is added to the regular entry fees.

Cover pages are optional. If you decide to use one, it would ideally include just a title, author name, WGA registration number and Copyright information.

Awards

A total of $16,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners this year.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $8,000 in cash.

The winners of the Short, Feature, Horror, and Original Teleplay categories will receive $2,000 in cash, each.

The top three screenwriters in each category will receive prize packages that include Festival Passes good for all screenings and parties at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (January 2018)

The top three screenwriters in the Feature and Horror category are eligible for membership in the Writers Guild of America’s Independent Writers Caucus.

The winning Horror feature and Feature screenplays will receive $2,500 in legal services from Pierce Law Group, LLP

The top three screenwriters in each category will receive merchandise from the Slamdance SHOP
(T-shirts, beanies, etc.).

The top three screenwriters in each category will be included in the 2018 Slamdance Film Festival program which is distributed to industry professionals in Park City and year round.

Production companies, studios, top agencies and managers request to read our top scripts.

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Contest Comments

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Updated: 10/10/2013

Slamdance and JuntoBox Films, a collaborative film studio for filmmakers and fans, today announced a partnership for the 2013 Screenplay Competition to discover and support emerging writing talent. This year's Grand Prize by JuntoBox Films is the largest offered by Slamdance to the winning writer in the nineteen years of the competition's history. In addition to the $10,000 cash, JuntoBox Films is committing a minimum of $50,000 towards production financing with the option to fully fund the Grand Prize winner.

Updated: 03/12/2013

The Bloodline, written by Sneha Koorse, has won the 2012 Slamdance Writing Competition Grand Prize. Sneha was awarded $8,000 in cash prizes for her original teleplay at an awards ceremony hosted by the Writers Guild Of America, West last night on October 3, 2012. It's the first time a teleplay has won Slamdance's Grand Prize.

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Interviews

MovieBytes Interview:Screenwriter Amir Ohebsion

Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?

A: THE APOLOGY (co-written with David Diaan & Babak Shokrian). It's a character study of an exiled showman who struggles with an offer to issue a humiliating apology in exchange for permission to return to his homeland.

Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?

A: Winning Slamdance has definitely generated lots of interest from both managers and production companies, though we're still seeking representation. As part of the reward, Slamdance will be staging a reading of the screenplay on May 23 and we're certainly looking forward to that.

Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?

A: Besides THE APOLOGY, I completed two other screenplays in 2004:
A suspense drama entitled DRAGOMIR (co-written with Omid Arabian) which was a semi-finalist in the Academy's Nicholl Fellowships, placing in the top 1% of over 6000 entries; and JIMMY VESTVOOD, AMERIKAN HERO (co-written with Maz Jobrani), a comedy about a Clouseau-type private investigator who finds himself at the center of a film noir murder plot as he studies for the citizenship exam with his overprotective mother.

Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?

A: Absolutely! It's a cross between a romantic sci-fi suspense thriller and a high-concept coming-of-age gay musical comedy. As you might have guessed, Action-Adventure is not my forte.
Seriously though, I'm working on a spiritual thriller in the vein of "Sixth Sense" and "The Ring" but without any ghosts.